Worried about having to stop work

[JackD]

I've had severe neck pain from 19 and Fibro symptoms from the age of 28, and have also been diagnosed with Ellers Danlos and CFS and Arthritis, I have burning tendons in legs and feet and terrible muscle stiffness in my back and legs, I am 44 now and the last year and a half has become terrible and its taking me hours to get mobile in the morning I am unable to sleep well due to neck pain and stiffness at night and night sweats and I feel terribly run down, I've been taking amitriptyline, tramadol and anti inflammatories to get to work in the mornings, I've had courses of cortizone which helped with stiffness, and now on methyltexate but I feel like I am running on empty and unable to do any physical activities like mowing the garden or hoovering or cleaning the car or stay up beyond 8pm in the evening, or excercise, I am worried that I can't hold down my job properly anymore as I feel totally drained beyond 2pm and unable to focus , feel like stopping work but just feel its 10 years before I should and I have 3 kids to look after.

Does anyone have any advice ? what should I do ? has anyone come out of this kind of situation what did you do?

[panda60]

Sorry you're having such a rough time. I gave up work when I was 50 and it was hard but my GP said I couldn't carry on. If you are full time could you change to part time or a less stressful one?

[TheAuthor]

I am so sorry to read that you are having such a horrid time and I genuinely hope that you can find some resolution and relief to these issues. I was wondering if you were claiming any disability benefits such as PIP? As if you were you could possibly reduce your working hours by subsidising your salary with your PIP?

I have pasted you a link below to the GOV.UK cache on PIP:

gov.uk/government/publicati...

I want to genuinely and sincerely wish you all the best of luck.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[bluejeans16]

I went from full time to part time work and is amazing how much my health has improved. I still have to take the occasional day off. Pacing is also very useful. Hope this helps.

[JackD]

Thank you everyone for your responses they are so very kind. I will be looking into going part time and reduce my working hours I think that without changing my life style I will not be able to continue as I have no current quality of life, I was hoping I would get to 55 before that but feel that I have to take some action now. Thank you all.

[rowantree]

JackD I am in a similar situation. I have Ehlers a Danlos syndrome too. My worst problems are my feet and hands. I'm looking into getting work to sort out some 'reasonable adjustments' to help me stay at work. Can you talk to them? Do they have an Occupational Health department that could help? Could you do some work from home? It's worrying isn't it. I want to stay at work but I need them to help me to stay. I'm going to meet with Occupational Health to discuss. Good luck with it. Hope you're able to get some support from work.